By Najib Sani Bauchi
Bauchi state chapter of the Association of Medical Social Workers of Nigeria (AMSWON) has faulted the recent election conducted by its mother body, the National Association of Social Workers (NASOW), in the state, alleging that non-members casted votes at the poll.
Speaking during the commemoration ceremony of the international social work day organised by AMSWON which held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, on Tuesday, the state chairman of the association, Abdullahi M. Aliyu, described the election as “illegitimate.” He said: “When we forced them to conduct election for Bauchi state chapter, they connived with outsiders and went on a public holiday declared by His Excellency, Muhammad A. Abubakar, on 29/12/2016 to welcome Mr. President to Bauchi and conducted a kangaroo election with rented people, thugs and yan sara-suka without delegates lists, security presence and observers from sister trade unions like NLC, MHWUN, NUJ and the rest.
Our association made formal complaints; protested and staged a walk out all did not stop them. Can that be said to be a democratic election?” Aliyu, therefore, asked all medical social workers in the state, the government and authorities not to recognise the new leaders as elected representatives of NASOW “for not conducting a proper election.”
